The Lioness
by SoaringGryphonProductions
Summary: Kadri, the Harpy of Corinth, the first Women's Champion of Capua, has returned to the House of Batiatus, but this time she does not come alone. Iva has accepted the challenge. Iva wants to be trained as a gladiatrix. Kadri survived the training, but can the same be said for the one she loves?
1. Chapter 1

**Spartacus: Blood and Sand**

**'The Lioness' **

**Chapter 1: The Return to the Arena **

A year has passed. I possess all the Gods and Goddesses of Olympus can grant me. I have made my home on the Island of Milos, away from the bloodshed of the arena. Still, I look upon the helmet near my bedside. A reminder of what I once was. I spend most of my days sitting by the beach. Still I find myself thinking about the arena. The friends I have made, and the love I have found that now stands beside me, Iva. The scars that are cut into my flesh have healed, but marks of the memories from each one still remain.

In the morning, Iva often goes for a swim. There is no one in the world that compares to her beauty. There are times I often wonder if my love is a nymph rather than a human. From her gracefulness as she swims to her elegant daring when she dives off the small cliff, I often still ponder that question. I would often join her in the sea after she dives. My hair has grown though I liken my appearance to that of a boy. Iva fluffed her ocean waves of brown curls as she smiled down at me, "Where now does your mind wonder, Kadri?"

"The arena still calls," I replied,

"Does it now? You seem to have grown accustomed to the fame and fortune," said Iva putting back on her dress. To her dress, I wear a man's tunic, belt and sandals. I lightly nodded to her, and grinned to tell her that she is correct in her statement, "I have put thought to such a thing as you rest at night, I see that helmet you once wore, and now I feel I can set mind toward purpose, if you would not be apposed to it, I would like to make my mark in the arena, you know of what I am, I know the way of the sword, Kadri,"

"I am not opposed to it, but I will see to it that you do not go alone," I replied gently caressing her cheek with the loving touch of the back of my hand. The next day is Market Day, and I see the Romans have left their legacy on this little island. Soldiers patrol the streets in pairs, and Roman buildings now stand in place of those built by my forefathers. There is also a amphitheater where the townsfolk go see a play. While Iva was purchasing meat from the butcher, I went over to ships at the port, "do any ships sail to Capua?"

"Capua? What business do you have there?" asked a sailor,

"One fitting of my profession," I replied,

The sailor nodded a single nod to me, "The next ship leaves tomorrow at first light," he said, and I went on my way back to the market where Iva had finished her errands. I relayed the message from the sailor I had spoken to. It is most helpful around the patrolling soldiers that Iva and I share similar traits from brown hair to brown eyes. Soldiers do not bother us as many would put to thought that Iva and I are sisters. After the evenings supper, I picked up my helmet and grinned seeing my reflection in the polished iron

I turned to Iva, and placed the helmet on her. It warms me to hear the giggles echoed behind the faceguard. She still stands upright even with the heavy helmet, "With training there will be polishing to your skills, but a fine gladiatrix you will be," I praised to her in my calm, sweet words as I took the helmet off her, and placed in a sack along with other belongings. I have taught her how to use a sword as I once did, and under my tutelage i wonder how that will manifest at the ludus? Only time will tell as we boarded the ship.

"Do you worry for my safety?" she asked,

"I would be lying if I disputed my own feelings," I said back,

"You have trained me well, you need not worry about my safety," Iva said, even with the confidence that lace her words and her smile to me, I still feel I should be there for her. She leaned against the side of the ship, looking out at the sea with me at my side. She lightly nudged my side with those blessed hips. I giggled lightly, and placed a gentle tap on her equally blessed ass. Iva leaned up, and kissed my cheek. After a day's voyage, we had arrived back to Capua. Memories seemed to return, especially at the Slave Market.

It is not a difficult task to find the ludus in Capua. One only has to turn focus toward their ears to hear the sounds of men, and the clatter of wooden weapons striking in the heat of the sun and training under the sting of the whip. Iva and I stood at the entrance. She turned to me, and I to her. We both nodded a single nod, and walked up to the guard at the gate, "Halt, and state business," ordered the guard armed with a spear, and resting his free hand on his shield. I lightly grinned and so did Iva, making the gate guard blush.

"We have come to speak with the lanista, our business is our own," said Iva,

"Very well, you both may pass," said the guard,

He had moved his spear aside, and led us into the ludus once again. Some things and places do not change as time passes, "Wait here," said the guard whom entered his study. I have no doubts in her strength. Those full and healthy curves really do mask her brawn. Even unclothed, she can climb the rocks to get to her favorite cliff near our home with ease. I placed my a hand around Iva's shoulder. She turned to me, and placed her head upon my shoulder, gracing my cheek with the soft touch of her soft curling locks of hair.

The guard came out, and gestured with a movement of the neck for Iva and I to come into the study of Batiatus, "A year has passed, and I never thought I would see you return to the sands," said my dominus, "it's common that gladiators return to the arena, and you return with Iva, tell me what business brings you lot to this most hallowed of ground?" he asked, Iva presented herself before the dominus. She had her hands in front, and fingers interlinked as she focused her brown eyes on the man whom was writing at his desk

"I seek that which I had found in the past," I replied,

"And I seek to be trained as a gladiatrix," said Iva,

"Kadri, relieve her of her clothes," he asked of me, I nodded and gently removed Iva's dress by the shoulders, and it fell to the floor like a cloud of morning mist. Batiatus stood up, and examined her. He nodded to himself in approval, "good, I see the same in Iva that I saw in you, Kadri, further polishing and honing of skill will be required of this one, as it was with you when you first arrived," Batiatus looked out his window at the gladiators training, "here, I shape men into gods, for there to be a pantheon, we need goddesses,"

"As I have done to Kadri in the past, I can make a gladiatrix of you yet," he said, and the training began under the sting of Doctore's whip. On the sacred grounds, I picked up wooden sword and shield while had two wooden swords in hand. She wore the same form of clothing I did as a trainee. There were some that seemed pleased to see me return to the ludus, Crixus seemed to be one of them. If it were not for him, I would not be the gladiatrix I became in the arena. Now it is my turn to show Iva what she can become.

**(Read and review kindly) **


	2. Chapter 2

**Spartacus: Blood and Sand**

**'The Lioness'**

**Chapter 2- Unleash the Beast**

As much as gladiators help to satisfy the bloodlust of the people, there is no denying of the truth. To think that I would willingly go back into bondage just to assist my love on her path to fame and glory in the arena. Many thoughts pondered in my mind as I went back to the bleak cell that was once my home, and now is my home once again. What will become of Iva? Will she have to fight me in the arena when the time comes? I feel my mind is straining to far into the future. Until then, there was training at Doctore's whip

From morning to night, we trained. Bleeding, sweating, and straining our bodies to forged, once again, into something of worth. From 'the march' to the training with weapons of wood in the place of steel. Iva stumbled on bended knee with a heavy wooden log on her back, "Do not help her to her feet!" Oenomaus scolded with a crack of the whip to me as I was going to help her to her feet, "what good can she be if she cannot help herself? Back to training you worthless cunt!" he strengthened his words with a lash of the whip.

"Pay me no mind, it was but a rock," Iva muttered,

Weapons training began under the midday sun, "Kadri!" Oenomaus barked, and his voice soon turned calm like a raging river in the mountains to a calm stream in the forest, "you will face your woman," I came out from the other gladiators watching from the side. I was armed with my wooden gladius and shield while Iva had two wooden gladii. The trainees howled like wolves, and gathered around like vultures with focus turned to their cocks. Iva wore a similar garment to mine. White cloth with a heavily exposed bosom.

Iva crossed her swords, and bowed to me. I crossed my sword and shield, bowing back to her. The men cheered as wooden weapons clashed on the sacred sands of the ludus. Iva is relentless, and keeping her eyes on me as she is keeping me on the defensive. I moved my shield to get inside her guard. She spun to evade my slash at her belly with the grace of a nymph, attacking with the power and skill of Athena herself. I used my shield to evade her swords and lift her up over my back, and down to the sand on her back

Her brown hair flowed with the movements of her swords as she slashed at my legs. I moved back, and lifted my legs to evade the coming wooden blades. I managed to trap her sword with my shield, and free her hand from it. I made a slash at her head, and the side of her waist only for her to spun around and retrieve her sword. She trapped my sword as I came down on the crown of her head, and put a foot in my belly and flipped me onto my back to the sands. I grinned with a nod to tell Iva that she is doing very well.

"Good...you learned very well under my guidance,"

"Then I shall show you what I have learned," Iva smiled back, and attacked me. The strike of wooden weapons echoed with the cheers of the other gladiators. The cheered my name, and they cheered for Iva. As I felt my strength waining in the fight, I felt I had to finish the bout. As I spun around her back, and she around mine, our swords met out our necks. I looked into Iva's eyes, and she into mine. A grin began to form, and we nodded to each other to conclude practice. Doctore's whip seemed to put such notion to rest

"It is time to relieve old rust from skill, to the palus with the lot of you!" barked Doctore with a lash of the whip against the sand. Iva and I worked at the wooden palus until the evening sunset. By then it was supper time, and we were the last to get our bowls filled with a thick stew of beans and vegetables. A food I thought I never lay eyes on again, which I miss as much as grit in my teeth. As I recall that it is only at the day before the games that a gladiator will be able to feast on meat, and be presented before the people.

"It is only the first day, and there will be many more," I whispered,

"One cannot expect a flower to grow after the first rain," said Iva

I stroked her hair, "Can such a flower grow in the arena, I wonder?"

"I have put mind to such a thought, and know that I will survive, just like you did," said Iva, helping herself to a piece of bread with her evening meal. Her voice was soft, but worn from the days training. The cell is cold, and the walls bare the testaments and the stories of those gladiators that came before us. To think that I was free for only a year's time, but the voice of the arena has called me back to it's bloodstained sands. Iva embraces me with the soft warmth of her body as the night cloaks the world with her darkness

"Then by Zeus, we will see it done," I said in a hushed whisper, and kissed the top of her head. Her mane of curls graced my cheeks with loving touch. The next morning brought light to a new day set forth by Apollo. We both kept up out strength, and trained with sword and shield to Iva's twin swords. To forge a gladiatrix in training is like forge a sword. It starts as a mere piece of iron. With proper training and honing of skill, the iron turns into a blade and the skills learned turn into sharpened edges made to strike down and kill

That evening, Ashur came by the cell we shared, "So the 'Harpy' returns to her nest, and with her woman?" said Ashur, he gestured to Iva from her to approach him. This made me wary of the Syrian's intentions, "whatever you need, Ashur provides," Iva returned to my side, sitting at the edge of the cot and lightly stroking my short hair as Ashur made his leave that evening. Days pass in blood, sweat, and pain and through it all I got to see Iva grow stronger, and I relive my time as a gladiatrix, times I thought left in my past.

Iva smiled amid our daily training with her guard up, "Loosing your nerve?"

"I am quite enjoying this," I replied with ready sword and shield,

I smirked back as I went on the offensive. Even with a strike of the foot to her belly, she would roll back to recover herself and her weapons and still smile at me. A fire burns within her soul, a competitive fire. I felt such a way when facing Barca and Crixus on these sands, though it took more time for Crixus to open his arms in friendship toward me. It take the same amount of time for him to do such a thing for Iva. He holds a pride in himself and his skill as a mother holds a newborn child. One's own pride is a delicate thing

"Iva, Iva, it seems Kadri has taught you well, you flourish under her guiding hand," said Ashur, I sat up from the cot. My brown eyes demanded without spoken word for him to state his business, and state it quick, "you must not worry for her, I come only with news from the Dominus, he has deemed you worthy of the arena, I bring word that you two will fight in the arena against two pairs from Silonius," Ashur smirked a smile to us, "this ludus has seen the likes of Spartacus and Crixus, maybe you two can fair just as well,"

**(Note: The helmet in the story icon is Iva's helmet)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Spartacus: Blood and Sand**

**'The Lioness' **

**Chapter 3: 'Hydra' **

It has been decreed by Batiatus that his gladiatrices would be excluded from final tests against the men. Instead, we are thrown to the sands of the arena. I looked up with Iva in our separate cells as the locks were undone, and we were led out with escort from the guard. To think that we had our freedom won only to surrender to the vices of the sand. We were halted as we were led to the iron gates. The crowds roared as our opponents took to the sand. It seems that Silonius has been finding himself better stock for the sands

The ground beneath my feet burns as if standing at the gates of the underworld. The sandals on my feet do nothing to shield me from the heat. Sweat stings my eyes as Zeus still sees it as reasonable to punish Capua with many more days without rain. The crowds of Romans in the stand cheer as another bout has ended as if the very magistrate were Zeus himself gathering a great storm on the sea. We gladiatrices are considered a special treat amid their insatiable bloodlust, and Ares would become drunk on such pleasures.

Behind the gates, two slaves boys were preparing us for combat. Our legs were strapped with iron greaves engraved in brass with the heads of lionesses at our knees. We wore cloth subligaculum with a cloth flap in front and back. I wear blue. Iva wears white. We were given a leather strophium. For extra covering, we were cloaked in furs going from the left shoulder to the right side of my lower waist. I am wearing a leopard pelt. Iva was given a lion pelt. As I was armored with iron manica, I reach over to touch Iva's cheek

"Do not worry for me," said Iva,

"Show those cunts no mercy," snarled Crixus,

"As none will be granted to us," replied Iva,

"You have made it this far, but your time has only just begun," I replied, the ink that tells the tale of a gladiator is made from blood. Batiatus was quiet, only giving a single nod to us. I was given a shield the Romans call a 'Cetratus', and my sword. Iva had both her arms in iron manica with a guard on her left shoulder, and was given two swords. It was time for the monster to be given an offering of flesh. I held my crested helmet by the face guard, and put it on for combat. Iva did the same for hers as we walked onto the sand

The magistrate Sextus orchestrated these games as Batiatus and his wife took their place in a booth, "O People of Capua, it is my honor and my pleasure to bring you a warrior returning to this hallowed arena, an Amazon worthy of the sacred blood of Queen Hippolyte, Kadri...the Harpy of Corinth!" I bellowed my battle cry as I raised my sword skyward whose blade will shed the blood of my opponent, and quench Ares's thirst, "joining her is the newest addition from the House of Batiatus, I give you, Iva the Lioness of Anatolia!"

"We who are about to die, salute you!" we all said in unison with raised weapons to the magistrate. I turned to face my opponents. I crossed the blade of my sword, touching it against my shield. I bowed to the gladiatrices of the House of Silonius as a show of respect. Iva did the same, crossing her swords at her chest, and bowing to them. They have varied weapons, and many kinds of armor. One is armed with an axe, two with sword and shield, and one with shield and spear. They would want the pleasure of killing a veteran

"Begin!" ordered Sextus, raising a fist

There was no time to choose my opponents as they attacked. My match would be against one with sword and shield, and one with a battle axe, a secutor. I can feel my heated breath against my face as I attacked, and defended myself. I weaved my head to evade the axe, and turned to strike the gladiatrix upside the head with my shield sending her down to the sands on her back. The crowd would cheer for such actions. She evaded my sword coming down for a killing strike, and got back on her feet with her weapon ready

As simple as it may seem, one should not kill quickly on the sands. We gladiatrices are the entertainment of the people. So we must entertain. I evaded a sword, and used my shield to flip the warrior over my back and down to the sand. Iva seemed to be having no difficulties. She got inside the guard of the one with spear, and used the pommel of her sword like a fist, striking the faceguard repeatedly. Her opponent fell to the sands, and rolled away to evade Iva's blade and picked back up her spear, ready to fight once more.

The one with the spear chose me. Even with my strength, my armor is heavy against my body. I evaded her spear thrust to my belly, and trapped the spear with my sword. I broke the head from the shaft with my shield. She spun around my shield, and had a sword ready. I was the swifter one, and slide my blade across her neck. The war god will be most pleased with this offering. So much I have missed these moments. Iva made her first kill, getting inside the guard of the axe warrior, stabbing her blades up into the skull.

"Well done," I said, my voice muffled by my faceguard.

That just left the two armed with sword and shield, "You taught me well," said Iva, through one of the small holes in her face guard, I could see her winking an eye to me. I could feel the sweat on her skin as her back touched mine. The last two attacked. Iva rolled over my back, and attacked the one behind me, and I attacked the one in front of her. Iva's long curled locks flow gracefully with her movements. With a twin cross slash, Iva slashed her opponent at the chest and between the breasts, felling her to her knees.

I struck my opponent at the back of her feet, and drove my sword into the cup of her shoulder. She howled in pain to the cheers of the crowd. She looked up at me, holding her wounded shoulder, "On your knees," I said to her, taking off my helmet. From my time as a trainee, I know the sound of a body getting up from the sand. Iva's opponent did the same, and she also removed her helmet. My opponent is beautiful. Her hair is the color of ripe wheat, and has brown eyes like me. She may have come from Gaul or Germania.

I looked at the defiant look in her eyes, the expression on her face. Her defiance is not toward me, but a readiness for death. I can hear Iva's words to her defeated opponent, "Face me...look into my eyes, and embrace death without dishonor," she said, we looked up at Batiatus with our blades at their necks. He grinned, and nodded in approval. The crowd chanted, wanting more blood for the spectacle. Sextus gave the thumbs down to our opponents. They must die. We made their death swift and clean with decapitations.

"Blood...battle...and glory," said Iva,

"That is our way," I replied, and we raised our blades in triumph for the House of Batiatus. From the iron bars, the men cheered as another sister has proven herself worthy of the brand. In a ceremony after battle, Iva was branded with the mark. She winced for but a slight moment. The one that was once an Ancillae has become a titaness among the titans as I am. She turned, and grinned warmly to me. Not an once of pain in her eyes or her expression. Only the finest are offered at the House of Batiatus. Only the finest.


End file.
